Recovery Day 4

Hello, faithful blog readers. I'm alive. Today is day four after my surgery.

I went to bed last night at 8pm and felt like a lazy bum when I woke up this morning...until I moved. Then I remembered why I went to bed so early and why someone else has my kids today and why someone is coming over to babysit me as soon as Jon heads to church.

I am such a believer in "mind over matter"! I truly believe that I can often keep myself from getting sick just by not allowing myself to get sick. It doesn't always work, but it is amazing how often it does. That means it's a little frustrating right now that I can't make myself feel OK. No matter what my mind says, the lower part of my body still feels like it has been sliced opened, parts taken out, and the rest left to rearrange itself at will.

Even when I get sick, I'm usually better by day four. It's day four, and I'm certainly not better. That's not true. I am better than I was day one and two. I'm just nowhere near normal, which, of course, is very normal. It's just going to take a big mental adjustment to let my body heal at it's own rate, no matter how slowly that will be.

Meanwhile, I'm giving myself little daily goals to keep myself alive and functioning. I don't want to get depressed, so I want to do little things to remind myself that I have a little control over my recovery. I am showering each day. That way I won't be able to physically wallow in my self pity. I am starting my day just as I would if I had a long to-do list to conquer.

I also started walking again yesterday. I made it all the way to the end of my long block once yesterday and later made it to the end of the short block. That's a far cry from the ten miles I did on Sunday, but Jon reminded me that I couldn't even stand up out of bed and walk to the bathroom most of the day on Thursday. I don't know if I'll be able to make it all the way around the block today, but I will walk how ever far my body allows.

My other goal for today is to hold my nephew (HINT, HINT). That sounds like a wonderful alive thing that I can do while sitting around in my chair. I also plan to take lots of naps, eat a bit now and then, read when I can stay awake, and watch some movies. What a busy day I have ahead of me.